The Rise of the Badger
by dobby82
Summary: Hufflepuff House has long been seen as the house of duffers and rejects from the other four House of Hogwarts. What happens when a group of fourteen extremely hardworking and most fiercely loyal first-years take the magical world of Harry Potter by storm? Well, read and find out what these gifted youngsters and an overlooked group of highly spirited Squibs can do.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: In my story, the Dursley family has recently sold their home in the small rural village of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire and moved to Little Whinging, Not aware of this, Albus Dumbledore leaves the recently orphaned Harry James Potter not with his aunt, as he had intended, but someone else, instead.

"Albus, I've been observing the Muggles who live here all day, and you won't find a better family to leave little Harry Potter with than the family that lives here," said McGonagall. "They don't have any children of their own, but the family next door in Number 19 has a darling little girl not too much older than Harry, that will make him an excellent playmate."

"Minerva, I am so happy you approve," said Albus Dumbledore, placing a basket containing young Harry Potter wrapped snug and warm in a blanket on the steps in front of the door at house Number 17 Park Lane, Holmfirth West Yorkshire. "It will be in young Harry's best interests for us to leave him here with his mother's sister. Additionally, I have written young Harry's aunt a letter which explains the tragedy that happened to her nephew, and she will be able to explain all to him when his is a bit older."

"Albus, are you certain little Harry will be better off here?" asked McGonagall

"Minerva, please do not fret, for it will be much better for young Harry to live here away from all of the hullabaloo created by the demise of Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "Now let's not linger here in the dark any longer, or it is bound to attract the attention of the Muggles."

"Albus, for this dear child's sake, I hope you know what you're doing," said McGonagall before she Apparated away.

"Luv, please take this letter out to the letter box for me," said the newlywed, Glenda Wilkinson to her husband of about two weeks, Barry, as she was making coffee the next morning.

"Sure thing, Luv," replied Barry, taking the letter from his wife after kissing her good morning.

"Luv, could you please go down to the corner grocery store, and get us some milk for our tea and Hermione's cereal?" asked Barry's and Glenda's new next-door neighbor, the Dr. Jean Granger to her husband and dental practice partner, the Dr. Lionel Granger.

"Anything for the two most wonderful girls in the entire world," said the tall athletic dental surgeon, kissing his wife's and daughter's cheeks.

"Glenda, Glenda,, come quickly; someone's left a baby in a basket at our frond door!" shouted Barry upon opening the front door of their new home and inadvertently brushing against the basket with one of his feet.

"Barry, did I hear you right?" exclaimed Lionel, having just exited him home and racing over to see what Barry was shouting about. "Someone left a baby at your doorstep in the middle of the night."

"You, heard me correctly, Dr. Granger," replied Barry, as his wife exited their door

"Oh, the poor dear," said Glenda, bending down to take the still sleeping baby from the basket and lovingly hold him in her arms.

"Oh look, an envelope just fell out of the basket when you picked up the baby," said Barry, seeing an envelope fall out of the basket, as Glenda picked the baby up. As he was reaching down to pick it up, a gust of wind blew it into the foyer of his and Glenda's home.

"What a darling little boy," said Glenda, carrying the baby into her home. "What kind of monster would leave a baby boy at someone's door in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know," replied Barry, picking up the letter. "Maybe this letter I just chased down will provide some answers as to why this precious child was abandoned in front of complete strangers' door. Additionally, it has always amazed me at how ladies such as you, Luv, can take one look at a baby and instantly know whether said baby was a boy or a girl."

"Barry, this baby is wrapped in a blue blanket which indicates the baby is a boy," explained Glenda. "If the baby was a girl, she'd have a pink blanket."

"Oh, I get it, now," remarked Barry. "Blue is for boys and pink is for girls. How ingenious, but I do wish people would share this information with us blokes more often."

"Barry, why don't you open the envelope and read its contents to us," suggested Glenda. "Dr. Granger, if you wish, you may join us while Barry reads the letter."

"As we are neighbors and hopefully, soon to be friends, please call me Lionel," replied Lionel. Sighing, he added, "As much as I'd like to, I'm afraid I must decline your generous offer, for I must go down to the corner grocery and pick up some milk for our daughter, Hermione's, breakfast."

"We have some milk I just bought yesterday, why don't you get your wife and daughter, and we can listen to Barry read this letter in our kitchen while the two little ones enjoy their breakfast," remarked Glenda.

"Thank-you, Glenda, I do believe I will do just that," said Lionel. "If you'll pardon me for a few minutes, I'll dash back to my home to retrieve my wife and daughter."

"Luv, did you forget to take your wallet with you?" asked Jean, seeing her husband enter their kitchen mere minutes after left.

"No, dear, someone abandoned a toddler on the Wilkinson's' front steps and they've invited us to join them for breakfast while Barry reads us a letter someone left with the abandoned child," said Lionel, lifting his daughter, Hermione, from her special chair and booster seat.

"You mean to tell me, someone abandoned a small child on complete strangers' door steps on a cold November night!" exclaimed Jean.

"As ghastly as it sounds, some reprobate abandoned a child in the dead of the night in front of our neighbors' front door," said Hermione.

"You take Hermione with you; I'll grab her booster seat, and let's make our way next door," said Jean. Entering the Wilkinson's' home with her husband and daughter, she spotted the now wide-awake baby boy sitting on Glenda's lap, she commented, "What are striking little boy. Who in their right mind would leave such a darling little angel on someone's doorstep in the middle of a cold November night?"

"That's exactly what Glenda said, when she first laid eyes on the handsome lil tyke," said Barry.

"Now, if you'll join us in our kitchen, we can feed these two darling angels their breakfast while Barry reads the letter that some gormless plonker probably thinks gives them the right to abandon a baby on someone's doorstep," said Glenda.

"That's odd," commented Barry, removing a letter from the envelope. "There's a wax seal sealing this envelope, and it's written on paper like our ancestors used centuries ago. Anyway, the letter reads as follows:

_Dearest Petunia,_

_This past October 31, someone, of whom I dare not mention in this letter, murdered your sister, Lily, and her husband, James, leaving their son, Harry James Potter, an orphan. Because, you and your family are little Harry's only surviving relatives, I am leaving him in your care with the hope and prayers that you will freely give him a loving home and raise him as if he were your own child. I fully understand raising a child can be a financial burden on the ones providing him with a home, and thus I have made arrangements to provide you with a two hundred galleon per month stipend which will be paid to the bank account you jot down on the enclosed form. This stipend will be deposited automatically on the first Monday of each month to you from Gringotts Bank into your own banking account in your own Pounds Sterling based on the current conversion rate at the time of each monthly deposit. The current conversion rate is just over five Pounds Sterling for each galleon, and has remained at this level for the past fifty some odd years._

_Additionally, I must inform you that little Harry is a Wizard, and this means, that beginning from about age seven, from time to time throughout his young life he will be prone to what is called accidental magic. You see, usually beginning at about age seven, magical children are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, sad, scared, or confused as a form of self defense. They typically have little or no control over such magic. Because of this, beginning at the age of eleven, little Harry will be invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he will be taught how to control his magic, as well as, train him for acceptance into a career of his choice. However, I must add, that in some instances extremely gifted magical children can be prone to bouts of accidental magic as early as age one._

_Enclosed, you will find a copy of little Harry's birth certificate, the form to set up your stipend's direct deposit, and a form granting you guardianship of little Harry in the non-magical world should you sign it._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" asked Jean. "Who in their right mind would leave a baby outside someone's door right just a few days after their parents had been murdered?"

"What about this bit about accidental magic and little Harry being a wizard?" Lionel asked, casting a quick glance at his daughter and the young boy in question.

"What I am about to tell you will most likely sound a bit unbelievable to you…" answered Barry.

"What's happening to the two children!" gasped Glenda after seeing Hermione reach to touch Harry's right hand with her left.

"They're glowing!" exclaimed Jean. "When they first touched, Hermione was surrounded by a blue aura and Harry a red, and, now, they're both surrounded by a golden yellow aura. It doesn't seem to be hurting them as they're both giggling, and we can still touch them, but what does this mean?"

"I believe what's happening to these two youngsters can at least be partially explained by what I was about to tell you," replied Barry. "You see, Drs. Granger there are spread throughout the entire planet an unknown number of people who have been blessed with the ability to use magic, and apparently little Harry and your young daughter are two of them."

"The ability to use magic," said the skeptical Lionel. "You mean like witches and wizards we've seen on the telly and in movies?"

"Yes, Drs. Granger, that is exactly what I am talking about," said Barry. "Tell me, other than these two children glowing, has there ever been anything which happened around young Hermione that you could not explain?"

"Just this morning, I discovered Hermione sitting up in her crib looking at one of her picture books, and I am most certain I put said book on her bookshelf when I tucked her into bed last night," answered Jean. "Could these two glowing and me finding Hermione looking at her picture book be examples of this accidental magic this Dumbledore wrote about in his letter?"

"Yes, I am quite certain these are examples of the accidental magic Albus Dumbledore wrote about in his letter," answered Barry.

"Barry, please pardon my doubt, but just how do you know about this magical community?" asked Lionel.

"Well, you see, I am what is called a Squib in the magical world; which means a non-magical person born to a witch and a wizard," answered Barry. "Even though I do not possess the ability to use magic, I was still raised by magical parents. As my father and I were all only children, I do not have any siblings or first cousins, but I do have a fair number of second cousins who are magical. The only ones I am even remotely familiar with are the family of my second cousin Molly who lives in the small town of Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon. As far as I know, I am the only Squib in my entire extended family and feel most fortunate that I was not born into another family. Even though I was a Squib, my parents still loved my very much, and that is why they insisted that I get a good non-magical education."

"Barry, it's not that we don't believe you, as there have been dozens of things happening to or around our little girl that we cannot explain, but can you tell us more about these magical people?" asked Lionel.

"Tell me, have you ever noticed adults of all ages running around dressed in rather old fashioned and mismatched clothing?" asked Barry.

"You mean like that bloke the locals call Compo who runs around with Norman Clegg and Glenda's Uncle Seymour?" asked Lionel

"Although Mr. Simmonite does dress a bit odd, I am talking about people going about dressed in long dark robes with hoods," answered Barry.

"Just yesterday morning, when I was taking Hermione for her immunization shots, I saw a group of older men all dressed in heavy black robes with hoods on them," said Jean. "At the time, I thought they were a group of Monks from a monastery, but from what you've just described, they could well have been a group of these magical people."

"Where did you see these older men?" asked Barry.

"They were crossing the road not far from Charing Cross Road in London," answered Jean.

"There's a magical shopping area hidden behind an equally hidden pub on Charing Cross Road, perhaps they were headed there," said Barry.

"This letter accompanying little Harry and what you've told us, does give us a possible explanation for all the odd unexplained things that have happened to or around Hermione, but what are we going to do about the fact someone left a small child at complete strangers' door in the wee hours of the night?" asked Lionel.

"The letter was addressed to someone named Petunia, and Petunia was the name of the mother in the family from whom Barry and I bought this house from just before we married two short weeks ago," said Glenda. "Perhaps who ever abandoned this child on our doorstep intended to leave him with this Petunia's family."

"Well, I, for one, am glad little Harry was left with you and not those horrid people you bought this house from," remarked Jean. "We've never met a more rude, snobbish, and snooping into other people's business than that lot. Before they sold the house to you two, a number of families in this neighborhood were considering selling and moving, and we were all forever grateful when two fine people such as the two of many moved in to the neighborhood."

"Is that why everyone in this neighborhood has been so welcoming to us?" questioned Barry.

"No, Barry, everyone except for the family that lived here before you is most welcoming," said Jean. "I just believe you and Glenda received an extra good welcoming because we were all so relieved that someone as nice as you had moved in."

"I helped arrange the mortgage for the Dursley family's new home a few weeks before our wedding, and I must say I agree with your assessment of them being rude," said Barry. Stroking his chin, he added, "I wander if their dispositions were the reason they had some much trouble selling this house, and the reason why the lowered the price to the point where Glenda and I could very easily afford it."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm so glad Harry was left with us and not people like that," commented Glenda.

"Does that mean you like for us to take little Harry into our home?" asked Barry.

"Yes, Luv, I would," answered Glenda. "Before we married, we talked about starting a family someday, so why not start by becoming at least foster parents to this handsome little boy?"

"I have nothing against taking the little tyke in, because the monthly stipend Mr. Dumbledore wrote about is more than enough to help the financial burden of raising a child, but what are we going to tell your dad and mum, and all the people we interact with regularly?" asked Barry.

"Barry, you know me dad and mum are both grandchildren of Squibs and already know about wizards and witches, so we'll just tell them the truth about little Harry," answered Glenda. "Not to mention, most of the people we interact with, including all the ladies I have coffee and tea with are related in some way to wizards, witches, and squibs. We'll just tell everyone we've decided to become foster parents, and little Harry is the child we are fostering. Besides, having this handsome little fellow in our house will help learn more about being parents for when we have our own little bundles of joy. Why, I'd say in a few years, you could even teach him a bit about playing golf."

"It would be nice having a little me around, wouldn't it," said the smiling Barry. "I just hope your father doesn't get him so that he likes spending most of his time tinkering with cars."

"Barry, you know me father spends his time in his shed to keep away from getting in me mother's way, so don't worry," replied Glenda.

"Albus, that instrument on the table just to your left is glowing," said Minerva McGonagall while seating across from Dumbledore in the Headmasters' Office in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Ah, this is wonderful new, indeed," said Albus turning to gaze up said instrument. "I attuned this particular device to alert me when little Harry was accepted into his aunt's home, and the color it is now glowing he has been loving taken into her home. I have charmed this device to alert me as to Harry's health and general well-being, as well. Additionally, I have made arrangements for Arabella Figg to move to a home not far from Harry's aunt, so that she may help us by reporting on Harry's well-being, as well."

AN: In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron Weasley told Harry Potter that his mother had a second cousin who was an accountant and was never spoken of by the Weasley family. In my story, I decided to use my imagination to make the character of Barry Wilkinson form the long running sitcom, the Last of the Summer Wine be Molly Weasley's Squib second cousin and he and his wife Glenda to be the one to raise 'The-Boy-Who-Lived.'.


	2. Chapter 2

"Luv, are you going to be alright here with little Harry while I'm at work today?" asked Barry.

"I thought maybe you could ask for today off, so we can go out and purchase some new things for Harry to wear, play with, and sleep on," said Glenda.

"Luv, you know I can't do that," answered Barry. "I already have a number of appointments today that I cannot cancel on such a short notice, and cannot afford to take any time off, today. I'd let you take the car so you could at least take Harry out and buy him some clothing and the like, but we don't have a car seat for little Harry, and the police are very strict about small children riding in approved car seats.".

"Barry's right about that, Glenda," said Jean. "One of my cousins and his wife received a siltation and even had their car impounded for not having a child older than Harry or Hermione in an approved car seat. Anyway, we have a car seat for Hermione in each of our vehicles, and as I do not have any appointments until this afternoon, why don't you and Harry ride with Hermione and me while we go into Huddersfield so you can buy some things for Harry. I'd already planned a trip to buy some things for Hermione, and you're more than welcome to tag along."

"Thank-you, and I do believe I'll take you up on your gracious offer," said Glenda. "Although, I do wish I had something else for him to wear besides these pajamas he's wearing."

"I have some old clothing that Hermione's outgrown that is suitable for either a boy or a girl that should fit him," said Jean. "We're saving it in the chance we have another child and would be more than happy to lend it to you until you can get Harry some clothing of his own. Why don't you bring Harry over to our home, and I'll you let clean him up at our house and pick out an outfit for him to wear today."

"Why do you have to take Harry next door to clean him up?" asked Barry.

"Barry, we don't have any soap or shampoo suitable for use on a young child like Harry," explained Glenda.

"I didn't know there was a difference," commented Barry. "I knew there are special soaps and shampoos for ladies, but not for small children, too."

"Barry, that is but one thing ladies such as our wives are privy to that we blokes are ignorant of, and it's best if we let them handle things like that," said Lionel.

"Jean, I'll be over with Harry as soon as I ring me mother to tell her I'll be hosting our ladies tea this afternoon," said Glenda.

"What are going to do with Harry during your tea time?" asked Barry.

"I'm going to introduce him to me mother and the other ladies from our tea group," answered Glenda.

"I thought you said no blokes were invited to your afternoon teas," said Barry.

"Luv, that rule does not apply to small boys, at least I hope it doesn't," replied Glenda.

"Glenda, you know very well that Tuesday is my day to host…" said Glenda's mother, Edie, as she entered Glenda's home for tea just before 3:00 pm that afternoon. Spotting Harry, she asked, "Where did you get that little boy from?"

"What little boy?" Nora Batty asked, entering the sitting room with Ivy, the owner of the local teashop.

"That cute little wee bairn over there, I'd say," said Ivy, smiling warmly at little Harry as he sat playing in his new playpen.

"The little tyke is a cute little bloke, isn't he," commented Pearl Sibshaw, being the last of the women to enter Glenda's home.

"Mother, ladies, Barry and I have decided to become foster parents, and this handsome lil lad named, Harry James Potter, is our new foster child," said Glenda.

"Foster child!" exclaimed Edie. "Whatever made you decide to become foster parents, and why didn't you and our Barry talk it over with your mother, first?"

"Because, mother, ladies, lil Harry, here, is a child like those of our Barry's extended family," said Glenda.

"You mean this baby is a wizard," said Edie.

"Yes, mother, ladies, lil Harry is a wizard," said Glenda.

"I knew I'd heard the name Potter somewhere before," said Ivy, as Glenda began to pass out the cups and saucers for their tea. "Potter is the name of a very prominent Wizarding family, and I remember hearing me Gran tell of a Potter family that were friends of her parents when I was just a wee child. Would this fine looking lil chap be from that family?"

"I don't really know," answered Glenda. "All I know is that lil Harry's parents were named James and Lily Potter, and that he was orphaned just two days ago."

"How did lil Harry's parents die, if I may ask?" said Nora.

"His parents were murdered," replied Glenda.

"Murdered, oh the poor lad," said Nora. "You and Barry are a good lass and lad for taking in the poor lad and giving him a loving home."

"Why did the person who left him with you, leave him with you and Barry?' asked Ivy. "It's not that I think you and Barry would be bad for the dear boy, but doesn't he have any family?"

"Barry and I think Harry was left with us by someone thinking we were those horrid Dursleys, because his aunt is Petunia Dursley, and that's who Harry was supposed to be given to," answered Glenda.

"You sound like someone left this poor lad on your doorstep as if he were a newspaper or bottle of milk," commented Pearl. Seeing the look on Glenda's face, she added, "You mean to tell us, that some idiot left this poor child at someone's door just like he was milk or a newspaper. My Howard, as germless as he is, would know more than to leave an infant at someone's door."

"If someone just left this poor child at your door, then how do you know his name?" asked Ivy.

"They left the letter that's lying on our kitchen table to explain who he was and what had happened to him and his family," replied Glenda.

"Did the gormless fool who did this have the stupidity to sign his name to the letter?" asked Pearl.

"Yes, and his name is Albus Dumbledore," answered Glenda.

"I've heard of Albus Dumbledore, and he's supposedly the greatest and brightest wizard around," said Edie. "If he really did something brainless like this, then I'm not sure if you and Barry want this poor boy to join the magical world when he's old enough."

"That's close to what our new neighbors, the Drs. Granger had to say about this Dumbledore, as well," said Glenda. "Dr. Lionel Granger was just stepping out of his home when he heard Barry shouting that someone had abandoned a baby in a basket at our front door, and while discussing the contents of the letter with he and his wife, we discovered their little girl was magical, as well."

"That's all fine and dandy, and I'm glad you're keeping little Harry and not those horrid Dursleys, but who's going to help you pay for raising this child?" asked Edie. "I know our Barry has a well paying job, but raising a child can be quite costly."

"Barry and I are going to be receiving a monthly stipend of a little more than £1000 for keeping little Harry, which is more than we'll most likely spend on him," said Glenda. "The balance we don't spend on him, we're going to put into a savings account for him to use when he gets older. Additionally, when he's old enough to understand more, we plan to give him a monthly allowance, as well."

"Nora's right, you and Barry are a good lad and lass," said Ivy.

"As long as he turns out to be another Barry and doesn't end up like your father tinkering all the time…" said Edie, causing Glenda to break out in a fit of giggles which caused little Harry to start giggling, as well. Scowling at her daughter, Edie, added, "Drink your coffee, and quit your giggling."

"Ah, a customer," said Auntie Wainwright, the owner of Auntie Wainwright's shop, seeing Barry pulling up to her shop after leaving his office later that afternoon. Going to her door, she asked, "How may I help you today, lad?"

"I was wondering if you had any toys more suitable for a little boy a little more than a year old," said Barry.

"You've come to the right place, lad, for I just received such an item this morning," replied Auntie Wainwright, ushering Barry into her shop. "How about buying the fine young lad this antique child's cricket set I acquired just this morning."

"Wouldn't a cricket set be a bit much for a child not even two, yet?" asked Barry. Spotting a teddy bear, he walked over, and inquired, "Wouldn't something like this teddy bear be a bit more appropriate for a small child?"

"Why, yes, it would," said Auntie Wainwright, examining said bear. Sighing, she added, "There doesn't seem to be a price on this, yet."

"Hey, that's my teddy bear; it's not for sale!" exclaimed Auntie Wainwright's much maligned and only employee, Clem 'Smiler' Hemmingway, as he entered the shop.

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Hemmingway, but thanks so very much for giving me an idea for a small child's toy," said Barry. "Think I'll pop up to that new superstore that just opened up on the road to Huddersfield, and pick up a teddy bear for our new foster son. I bet they have loads of teddy bears to pick from, so thank-you again Mr. Hemmingway."

"Way to go Smiler, you bumbler; you just cost me a customer," said the scowling Auntie Wainwright, seeing Barry driving away in route to Hudddersfield.

"Me, why is it my fault?" said the forever frowning Smiler, holding tightly to his teddy bear. "This is my teddy bear, and you can't sell it or buy it."

"What's a grown mine like you need with a teddy bear, to begin with?" asked Auntie Wainwright.

"I sleep with him, and he provides me with plenty of company at night," said Smiler.

"What's for supper _Mollywobbles and what have you and the kids been up to today?" asked Arthur Weasley, exiting his fireplace after flooing home from his job at the Ministry of Magic._

_"Don't call me Mollywobbles in front of the children," the blushing Molly Weasley whispered back to her husband. Then with a louder voice, she continued, "We're having meat balls over rice with carrots and a red-velvet cake for desert. Other than the usual, the only thing that happened around here today was that our four youngest all glowed a Gryffindor red which turned into more of a Hufflepuff yellow this morning while I was preparing their breakfast."_

_"Oh, dear, they're not coming down with something are they?" questioned Arthur, gazing over at his four youngest children. "Maybe we ought to take them in to see a healer."_

_"Other than the four of them glowing for a few seconds, they've all been their normal cheerful selves, so I really don't think they need to see a healer," replied Molly. "I'll watch them more closely over the next week, and if they show any ill effects or glow again I'll get Aunt Muriel to watch Bill, George, and Percy while we take them to St. Mangos."_

_"Good evening, Luv, Popkin," said Xenophilius Lovegood to his wife, Minuet, and infant daughter, Luna, entering their kitchen after a day of printing his daily newspaper, the Quibbler. "How was your day, today?"_

_"The usual except for our fairy princess glowing a Ravenclaw blue followed by a Hufflepuff yellow for a few seconds while I was feeding her, her morning pudding," replied Minuet._

_"Oh, really," replied, Xenophilius, bending down to kiss his daughter's forehead. "I wish I was here to see that. Do you have any idea what may have caused such a phenomenon and how it could happen again so I could see such a wonderful sight?"_

_"No, Xeno, my love, I don't" replied Minuet. "However, I knew you would want to see something like that, too, so I removed the memory from my mind and placed it in our Pensieve so you could have a look at it, as well." . _

_"Thank-you, Min, for, as always, you have our fairy princess and my interests close to your warm and gracious heart," replied Xeno before walking over to their Pensieve and plunging his head into its silvery contents._

_"Hey, up, my love and most wonderful son, how as your day?" said Alvin Creevey to his wife Belinda and infant son Colin, entering the Creevey home after a day of delivering milk._

_"Other than our Colin glowing red for a few seconds before changing color and glowing yellow for a few seconds, our day was fairly routine," answered Belinda .while setting the table in their small apartment for their evening meal._

_"Did you take him to see a doctor?" asked Alvin._

_"No, because I checked him over like they taught me in nursing school, and other than him glowing for a few seconds everything was normal with him," answered Belinda. "Besides, remember the reaction we got the last time we took him to see a doctor because something happened to him that we couldn't explain."_

_"How could I forget something like that," remarked Alvin. "The doctor and the staff at the A and E that we took him to looked at us like we were both crackers when we told them Colin had burned his hand and they found nothing wrong with him. I can only imagine what people like that would say if we told them Colin had been glwoing."_

_"That's what I was thinking, as well," replied Belinda. "So, how was your milk route, today?"_

_"One of my best ever, plus I was promoted today and received a very nice pay rise as to boot," said Alvin, setting his lunch box on the shelf and hanging up his jacket._

_"How much of a pay rise did you receive?" asked Belinda._

_"Enough that, once we've saved enough for a down payment, we'll be able to afford to buy a home like we've always wanted," replied Alvin._

_"Oh, that's wonderful news," said Belinda, embracing her husband._

_"Thank-you, _Adelicia, I hope watching over two young ones wasn't too much trouble for you, today," commented Amelia Bones, following her friend into her home after coming by after work to pick up her recently orphaned niece.

"Think nothing of it, Amelia," replied Adelicia. "Susan is such a sweet child and watching her for the day was a pleasure. Additionally, I do believe my Hannah enjoyed having Susan here even more. The two of them were inseparable today and they even took their afternoon naps all snugged up together. The only thing out of the ordinary was that they both glowed a Hufflepuff yellow for about five seconds."

"I've never heard of such a thing, do you have any idea what may have caused such a phenomenon?" questioned Amelia.

"No, I not, but whatever caused them to glow does not seem to have harmed them in any way," said Adelicia. "I gave them both a thorough exam with my medical wand, and I could not find anything wrong with them. I do suggest we monitor them more closely for the next few weeks to make sure, but I do not believe we'll discover anything amiss with either of them."

"As you, my friend, are a most competent healer I'll heed your advice," replied Amelia.

_"Thank-you, Algie and Enid, for watching over my grandson while I went to make arrangements for his parents care at St. Mangos," said Augusta Longbottom to her brother and sister-in-law upon arriving home after a most trying day for the stern austere matriarch of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Longbottom._

_"Think nothing of it, dear Augusta, watching over poor little Neville for a few hours was our pleasure," replied Enid._

_"Yes, indeed, my dear sister," added Algie. "Additionally we were most blessed to see perhaps his first bout of accidental magic when we witnessed him glowing a Gryffindor Red which changed to a Hufflepuff yellow hue after several seconds."_

_"Thank-you for telling me this, my dear brother, for after the trying and ghastly events over the past several days, good news like that is most welcome," said Augusta. _

_"Mon Cheri, how did you and or darling Daphne enjoy your ladies and their daughters' day out with Trudy Davis and her young daughter Tracey?" asked Dickinson Greengrass._

_"Wonderful, my knight," replied his beaming wife Daralis. "Trudy and I had a most exhilarating time shopping for our angels, and it all started when we feeding them their breakfasts. You see, while we were feeding them, they both began to glow the most glorious shade of Slytherin green for a few seconds before glowing more of a Hufflepuff yellow for several more seconds. At first we thought they both might be coming down with a case of dragon pox, but after we took them in for their check-ups, that was already a part of our itinerary for the day, the healer told us they were both perfectly healthy little witches and their glowing was more than like accidental magic."_

_"That's wonderful news, indeed," remarked Dickinson. _

_"Woman, the house-elf tells me he saw our son glow green followed by yellow for a bit this morning, why did you not let me know this, yourself?" asked Lucius Malfoy to his downtrodden wife, Narcissa._

_"I'm sorry, my lord, but I was so worried Draco might be coming down with something like dragon pox, I rushed him out to see a healer straight away and forgot to notify you," answered Narcissa with her head hung low._

_"Did the healer find anything wrong with him?" asked Lucius._

_"No, the healer said he was perfectly healthy," replied Narcissa, dreading what she knew was coming next._

_"Draco is the fruit of my loins, of course he would be perfect," remarked the sneering Lucius, removing his wand from his family heirloom walking stick. With a voice dripping with venom, he added, "Of course you know the penalty for disobeying me."_

_"No, Lucius, please, I was just concerned about our son's…" Narcissa begged, as she began to shake, knowing what was about to come._

_"Crucio," shouted Lucius with a sadistic smile on his face. After releasing the dreaded torture curse several seconds later, he added, "Now, let that be a reminder to never disobey again."_

_"Yes, my lord," replied the shaking Narcissa while praying and hoping one of her family members would someday annul her marriage to the vile Malfoy Head of House and free her and her young son from their misery._

_._


	3. Chapter 3

"Mum, I'm going out to sit on our back patio to read one of my books," said eight-year-old Nymphadora/Dora Tonks to her mother, Andromeda, as she descended the stairway in their new home one warm Saturday morning in August 1984.

"What book are you reading and what color is your hair?" asked Andromeda, looking around a corner. Seeing her daughter's bright pink bubble-gum colored hair and the book she was carrying, she added, "Change your hair back to its natural color and go back up to your room and get one of the books your grandparents gave you on your birthday. You know we now live in a Muggle village and, that pink hair and books about wizards and witches are not allowed outside of our house."

"Sorry, Mum, I'm so used to the way it was at our old house, and I'll try harder to remember," replied Dora, changing her hair back to its natural mousy brown color while charging back up the stairs to get another book.

"Mummy, Aunt Glenda, push us on our new swing," Dora heard a little boy and girl say in one of their new neighbor's back gardens, as the barefoot girl wearing blue denim shorts and pink t-shirt sat down on the Tonks' family's swing. Looking across the way, she looked on as the little boy and girl turned around, and as her hair began to change colors rapidly, she gasped, "That little boy over there looks just like Harry Potter."

"Do it again, do it again!" squealed the little boy and girl Dora had observed, who, having forgotten all about swinging, then began to run as fast as their legs could carry them toward Dora after having seen the young metamorphmagus's hair rapidly changing color.

"Harry, Hermione, come back here," shouted Glenda and Jean, who had been watching the energetic four-year-olds while their husbands were out playing golf.

"Mum, I think you need to come outside, because two little neighboring children just saw me change my hair color and are running over to me!" shouted Dora into her home, as Harry and Hermione both ignored their mother's/guardian's pleas to return to their own gardens.

"Do it again, do it again!" squealed Harry and Hermione excitedly, running up to Dora with each child grabbing one of the startled young witch's hands.

"Oh, my, what's happening to them?" questioned Jean, walking over with Glenda, seeing all three of the children's hair begin rapidly changing colors.

"If everyone would please step into our home, I will attempt to explain what just happened to the children," said Andromeda, exiting her home. Gently taking Harry and Hermione by the hands, she separated them from Dora, then added, "Dears, please let go of Dora and let's go into our sitting room, and we'll let the three of you sit together on the sofa."

"Okay," said Harry and Hermione, whose hair instantly reverted to their natural colors once they let go of Dora.

"Dears, please sit not touching Dora, and I'll go into my kitchen and bring all three of you back some chocolate ice cream," said Andromeda.

"Okay," Harry and Hermione replied eagerly, causing the two of them to once more change their hair color. Smiling fondly at the children, she explained before going into her kitchen, "I had a suspicion something like that might happen if I offered them some ice cream."

"Before we enter into a discussion about what transpired here, today, I believe introductions are in order," said Andromeda after returning with bowls of ice cream for the three children, as well as, biscuits and tea for the women. "My name is Andromeda Tonks, and the young lady sitting between the two younger children is my eight-year-old daughter, Dora."

"My name is Dr. Jean Granger, and the girl sitting next to your daughter is my soon to be five-year-old daughter, Hermione," said Jean.

"My name is Glenda Wilkinson, and the lad sitting with the two lassies is my foster son, Harry, who just celebrated his fourth birthday about two weeks ago," said Glenda. "Now, please do not take this as an insult, but would young Dora, here, happen to be a witch?"

"Yes, Dora is a witch, as am I, and apparently Harry and Hermione are magical children, as well," replied Andromeda. "Tell me, how do you know of witches and wizards?"

"My husband, Barry, who is out playing golf with Jean's husband, Lionel, is a first generation Squib, and I, myself, had great grandparents on both sides of my family tree that were wizards and witches," answered Glenda. "Additionally, we've known for about two and a half years that Harry and Hermione are both magical children and would be prone to bouts of accidental magic. Now, can you tell us more about them being able to change their hair colors? You see, we've already enrolled Harry and Hermione in preschool and are very much worried they may do something like changing their hair color while in school."

"I can understand your dilemma, for my husband and I had much the same concerns when our Dora was old enough to start going to school," answered Andromeda. "Dora is what we in the magical world call a metamorphmagus, which is a witch or wizard with the ability to change his or her physical appearance at, will, and apparently Harry and Hermione have this most special and exceedingly rare gift, as well. That is why my husband and I made the decision to home school our daughter until she showed us she could control her gift to the point she no longer changed hair color when she was upset, frightened, or overly excited. It has been only the past several months that Dora has shown us she can control her gift; however this morning's excitement tells me she has not learned to completely control her gift. Tell, us, Dora, what happened a bit earlier that caused you to lose control over your gift?"

"I lost control of my gift when I saw Harry and thought he looks just like Harry Potter," answered Dora.

"His name really is Harry Potter, and I would like to know how you even know about Harry Potter or what he looks like?" asked Glenda.

"Harry Potter is known in the magical world as the Boy-Who-Lived because he is the only person to ever survive being hit with what is known as the killing curse," replied Andromeda. "The scar on his forehead just above his right eye is where he was hit by the killing curse, and it is by this scar that he is known by."

"Your Dora must have been at least thirty meters away when she first saw Harry, and from that distance I'd say there is no way she could have seen Harry's scar," commented Glenda. Looking at Dora, she asked, "Dear, when you first saw my foster son, how did you come to believe he was named Harry Potter?"

"When I first saw him turn around, I thought he looked like the boy on the cover of the Harry Potter books I saw in Flourish and Blots," answered Dora. "Then, when he and Hermione came running up to me I saw the lightning bolt shaped scar on his head."

"You mean, they really have books about my foster son," said Glenda.

"Yes, they do, a whole series of at least ten books," answered Andromeda. "I've never read any of them, nor have I allowed Dora to read any of them, but from what I've heard of them, they're nothing but fantasy fiction and can best be described as rubbish."

"But, how do they know what Harry looks like?" asked Glenda. "Dora just said she recognized him from a picture she saw on the cover of one of those rubbish books. Does that mean someone we don't know about is watching him?"

"Harry's father, James, was a second cousin of mine, and I knew him quite well as a young boy, and young Harry is the spitting of his father at about the same age," replied Andromeda. "It is only speculation on my part, but as James Potter was well known and liked in the magical world, the authors of these trash books may well have used James's image for that of his son. You see, James was the spitting image of his father, who was the spitting image of his father, and I'm told this trend of lookalike fathers and sons in the Potter family has been occurring for untold generations. I'll investigate the matter further for you, but I have a hunch Harry's image on these books was as a result of the authors knowing of the Potter sons very closely resembling their fathers."

"That's a relief, because I was so worried we had people watching us," remarked Glenda. Smiling she added, "As, you and Dora are distant relatives of Harry's, would you happen to have any photos of his family, and could you tell us what you know about them?"

"I don't have any photos of Harry's family, but I will endeavor to find some for you," said Andromeda. "However, I do know quite a bit about the Potters and would be more than happy to share my knowledge with you. Additionally, my husband, Dora, and I would be more than willing to help Harry and Hermione learn to control their Metamorphmagus abilities. As their gift is so unique and rare amongst even wizards and witches, not much is written about their gift, and thus we will attempt to assist them in much the same manner as we did with Dora. One of the techniques we used involves meditation and calming of the mind. This is not to say we will not allow them to act as children should, but to expose them to ways of not reacting as Dora did when she became exited upon recognizing Harry Potter."

"Thank-you very much, Andromeda," replied Glenda.

"As we are now unable to send them to preschool as previously planned, do you know of any other magical children we could acquaint them with?" asked Jean. "One of the reasons we had planned to send them to preschool was the opportunity to interact with other children their age."

"One of my second cousins and his wife have some children about Harry's and Hermione's age, and I'm quite certain they would be open to allowing them to interact with their children," said Andromeda. "If you'd like, I can broach the subject with them and perhaps set up a chance for you to meet them."

"That's wonderful, do your cousin and his family live close to here?" inquired Jean.

"No, they live in the small town of Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon," replied Andromeda. "However, that will not pose a problem, as this home is connected to the Floo network, which is a mode of transportation in the wizarding world in which a witch or wizard goes from one place to another by means of Floo powder and a fireplace. So, I do not believe meeting and interacting with my cousin and his family will pose much of a problem."

"My husband, Barry, has a second cousin named Molly that lives in Ottery St. Catchpole," remarked Glenda. "Is it possible she could be your second cousin's wife?"

"Yes, my second cousin's wife's name is Molly, and, as I already said, I will arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible," said Andromeda.

#

"I need to tell Dumbledore about this," said Arabella Figg to herself, having seen the three children changing their hair color. "There's not supposed to be any other wizards or witches living around here."

#

"So, my luv how was your morning?" asked Barry, entering his sitting room just before lunch and kissing his wife.

"Well, you know that new family that moved into the home opposite of the Grangers?" Glenda inquired. Seeing Barry nod, she added, "We found out this morning they are a magical family when Harry and Hermione spotted their eight-year-old daughter, Dora, rapidly changing her hair color. This, of course, quite fascinated ours and the Grangers' pride and joys, so naturally they raced next door to meet Dora."

"Oh, dear, there wasn't any trouble was there?" questioned Barry, looking at where Harry was sitting while watching one of his educational videos on the Wilkinsons' television.

"There wasn't any trouble, but we discovered that somehow Harry and Hermione both now have this ability that Dora's mother, Andromeda, said was called a metamorphmagus, which is a witch or wizard with the ability to change his or her physical appearance at will," explained Glenda.

"I grew up in a magical home and have never heard of such a thing," commented Barry.

"Andromeda told us that even in the magical world being a metamorphmagus is extremely rare, and that, she, Dora, and her husband will help us train Harry and Hermione how to control their gift," said Glenda. "Unfortunately, we can no longer send them to school for fear they may suddenly start changing their hair color."

"I don't see anything wrong with his hair," commented Barry again looking over at Harry.

"Harry would you like some chocolate milk with your lunch?" asked Glenda to demonstrate to Barry their foster son's newly discovered talent.

"Yeah," cried the enthusiastic boy, as his hair began rapidly changing colors.

Seeing the awestruck look on her husband's face, she added, "That, Luv is what can now happen whenever Harry is excited, scared, or angry."

"We can't send him off to school if he does things like that," said the very worried Barry. "How are we going to educate him now?"

"As Hermione has developed this gift, as well, Jean and I with yours and Lionel's input have thought we would home school them as Andromeda and her husband have done with Dora," replied Glenda.

"That's fine with me, but what about our desire to have Harry and Hermione interact with children closer to their own age," said Barry.

"We discovered that Andromeda's second cousin is married to your second cousin, Molly, and we discussed us and the Grangers meeting with them to allow the children the opportunity to meet and interact with each other," replied Glenda.

"Molly and her family live more than five hundred kilometers from here, how is that possible?" questioned Barry.

"Andromeda said their home was connected to something she called a Floo network, and that we could use it to allow Harry and Hermione the opportunities to interact with magical children closer to their age," answered Glenda.

"Ah, yes, I remember using the Floo network with me dad n mum growing up," said Barry. "I never did get the hang of using it, though, and usually ended up flat on me bum when I shot out of the fireplace on the other end. I much prefer driving, as even though driving is done while sitting on your bum, you do not have to wipe soot from fireplaces off when you arrive at your destination. Takes longer to drive, but I think it is well worth it not getting dirty and bruised up in the process. So, when did Andromeda say she would contact her cousin and his wife?"

"She said she would try to contact them as soon as possible," replied Glenda. "She told us she was a distant cousin of Harry's, and that she would round up photos of his family and tell us what she knows about them, as well."

"That's good, because young Harry ought to know what his family was like," said Barry, as they heard a knock at their back door. Answering the door, he saw Dora standing there, and commented, "You must be the young lady that so intrigued my foster son and his playmate earlier this morning."

"Yeah, I'm the one that lost control of my gift, and made them come running over to me," replied the young witch, blushing. Then, smiling shyly, she added, "Mum's second cousin and his family just Flooed over to our house, and Mum sent me over to ask you and Hermione's family to come over and meet them."

"We'll be right over," replied Barry.

"Great, I'll see you there," said Dora before turning and dashing over to the Grangers' home.

"Barry, let's wait on the Grangers' and go over to the Tonks home together," said Glenda.

"That's fine with me," replied Barry before adding, "Harry, please pause your video so we can go over to the Tonks home with the Grangers."

"Yeah, we get to see Dora," said the exited young wizard, as his hair once more began to change colors.

"Harry, hold Dora's other hand," squealed Hermione, seeing Harry exiting the Wilkinsons' home.

"Okay," replied Harry, rushing to hold Dora's other hand, as all three children's hair began rapidly changing colors.

"Barry and Glenda, walk on the right side, while Jean and I walk on their right," said Lionel. "That way we can shield them from prying eyes."

"Good idea," said Barry.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mum, Daddy, the Granger's and the Wilkinson's are here with me," shouted Dora, entering the Tonks kitchen.

"Dora, please bring them all into the sitting room," they heard Andromeda reply.

"Ginny, come back here," said Molly Weasley, seeing her daughter race over to hug Harry, as he entered the sitting room. Seeing a ghostly presence appear, she gasped, "Whoever you are, get away from my daughter and those other children!"

"Dear Molly, and everyone else present, I am the spirit of Lily Rose Evans-Potter, and somehow, I was called from the great beyond by the reunion of my son, Harry James Potter, and his twin sister, Hyacinth Lily Potter," said the ghost-like essence of Lily Potter.

"Excuse me, but which of the girls are you referring to?" asked Jean, eyeing Lily suspiciously, as she instinctively pulled Hermione into a protective embrace.

"My daughter and my son's twin sister is the little red-haired girl still hugging him tightly," answered Lily.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but I gave birth to Ginny, and she's my child not yours," spat Molly, reaching out to pull Ginny away from Harry.

"Everyone please remain calm, and I will explain all that I can," said Lily. "As I already stated, I am the spirit of Lyly Potter, and after learning I was pregnant, at the insistence of my parents, I made an appointment with a Muggle Gynecologist, which is the Muggle's equivalent of a healer who delivers babies. During my visit to the Gynecologist's office, I had performed, what the Muggles call, an ultrasound, which is essentially a moving photo, of the inside my abdomen. It was from this ultrasound that I discovered I was pregnant with twins. Not long after I had the ultrasound performed on my abdomen, Albus Dumbledore visited James and me to warn us that Voldemort had targeted us and suggested we go into hiding. At that time, we informed Dumbledore I was carrying twins, and even though it only lasted for a brief moment, I could tell from the look in Dumbledore's eyes that he not pleased with that fact I was pregnant with twins. About six months later, on the night of July 31, 1980, I gave birth to Harry less than a minute before midnight, and Hyacinth about fifteen minutes later, during the early morning hours of August 1, 1980. It was at this time, that someone, of whom I have a strong suspicion, was Albus Dumbledore, stole my daughter from us and modified mine and James's memories and those of Madam Pomfrey to forget we even had a daughter or that I was pregnant with twins. It was only upon my murder that in the afterlife I remembered that I had given birth to girl, as well. However, as I was dead, I could not communicate with the living, and I could not tell anyone of this. I really do know why or how I was summoned from the great beyond, but it happened when my twins, Harry James and Hyacinth Lily Potter were reunited."

"No, it's not so; you're lying!" cried Molly.

"Molly, my love, I wish I did not have to tell you this, but at least the part about Ginny not being our natural daughter is true," said Arthur Weasley. "Our own baby daughter was not breathing when she was born and, most tragically, she died within minutes of being born. You were so distraught at the time, that Madam Pomfrey gave you a powerful dreamless sleep potion. While I was making the proper arrangements for our daughter, Dumbledore came to me and told me about a recently orphaned baby girl that needed a loving home, and I made the decision to adopt this child as our own. Additionally, I gave Albus my permission to cast a memory charm on you to make you forget about our own baby and believe the baby I adopted was our own baby. As for Ginny actually being Lily's child and Harry's twin, I do not know, for Albus never told me anything about our adopted daughter's family."

"Oh, Arthur," cried Molly, as the distraught witch held tightly to her husband. As she calmed a bit, she asked, "Where is our baby girl buried?"

"I do not know, Molly, for Dumbledore made the arrangements for me," answered Arthur.

"Lily, are you sure Ginny is your daughter?" asked Molly.

"Yes, I am, but as I already stated, I did not know I had a daughter before I died, because I believe Dumbledore stole her from us and modified James's, Poppy's, and my memories to make us forget we had a baby girl or, that I had been pregnant with twins, as well," answered Lily. "I knew you were pregnant at the same time, as I'd heard you gave birth to a twin boy and girl a few weeks after I gave birth to Harry and Hyacinth. Because of what just happened, it my belief that it was my daughter Dumbledore gave to Arthur to adopt. I am quite saddened to learn that the daughter you actually carried died shortly after birth, and I, in no way want to take Ginny from you. Although I am quite angry with Dumbledore for stealing my daughter from James and me, I still cannot find fault with him giving my daughter to you. It is my wish, that from this day forward, my two children will grow up knowing they are twins. At the same time, I do not wish for Harry to be taken from Barry and Glenda, as they, like you and Arthur my daughter, are wonderful parents to my son."

"Barry and Glenda, it's a good sight better, that this Dumbledore accidently left Harry with you, instead of those bloody Dursleys' isn't it," commented Lionel.

"The Dursleys!" snapped Lily. "Dumbledore wanted to leave my son with Petunia and her lager lout!"

"Someone named Albus Dumbledore left Harry in a basket at our front door two days after Halloween almost three years ago, and he left him with a letter addressed to someone named Petunia," replied Barry. "The wife of the family my wife and I purchased our home from was named Petunia, and as Lionel, Jean, Glenda, a whole host of others and I had already had the misfortune of meeting that horrid lot, Glenda and I determined Harry would be better off living with us than someone like them."

"Petunia Dursley is my sister, and she and the lager lout she calls a husband despise everything to do with magic, and I am most certain they would have made my son's life a living hell," explained Lily. "That's why in our will, James and I stated that upon our deaths our son was never to even meet my sister and her family, let alone be raised by them. We named Sirius Black as our first choice to raise Harry upon our passing, and not that I have anything against Barry and Glenda, but could you please tell me why Harry is not being raised by Sirius?"

"Lily, Sirius told 'You-Know-Who' where you were living, and was sent to Azkaban for his crime," said Arthur.

"Sirius took the unbreakable oath when we named him Harry's godfather, and he would have died if he'd betray us," said Lily. "Additionally, against our better judgment, we made Pettigrew our secret keeper, and he's the bloody rat what betrayed us to Voldemort. If I ever see that bloody rat again, I'm going to haunt him…"

"Hey, Scabbers, come back here!" Percy Weasley shouted, as his pet rat suddenly leapt from where he had been hiding and listening in the seven-year-old wizard's shirt pocket.

"Stun that rat," shouted Lily, seeing the rat lying motionless on the floor in front of Percy, where it had its breath knocked out of it from the force of slamming hard onto the floor, "He's Peter Pettigrew!"

"Arthur, Dad!" shouted Molly and several of the Weasley children, as Arthur quickly turned and stunned the rat just as Percy was reaching down to pick it up without injuring or stunning his son in the process.

"I apologize for having Arthur do that, however I just recognized the rat as being our secret keeper and betrayer, Peter Pettigrew," said Lily.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead, Black killed him, all this rat is, is my son's pet," argued Molly, comforting her visibly shaking son.

"I can prove what I said is true if any of you can perform the Animagus revealing charm on the rat, as Pettigrew is an unregistered Animagus, and his form is that of a rat," added Lily.

"Ted and I can perform that charm," said Andromeda, before she and Ted performed the charm on the rat Arthur had stunned on the floor.

"I don't believe it, Scabbers really is Peter Pettigrew," said Arthur, seeing the balding rat-faced traitor lying stunned on the floor. After casting ropes to bind the wizard from his wand, he added, "Andromeda and Ted, would you mind calling for the Aurors?"

"Before you do that, I would like to set things in order so that Dumbledore cannot place my son with my sister and her family," said Lily. Turning to face her son, she added, "Harry, I know you probably don't understand what's happened here today, but I am the ghost of your mother, Lily Potter, and I have some things I'd like you to say after me."

"Yes, Harry, you may repeat all that you mother tells you to say," said Barry, seeing his foster son looking at him with a scared and confused look on his face.

"If I say what she says to say, can I still play with Hermione and Dora?" asked Harry.

"Harry, yes, you may continue to play with Hermione and Dora, and that's why I want you to say what I tell you to say," answered Lily, smiling warmly at her son.

"Okay," replied Harry, staring intently at his mother.

"Good, now Harry, please say exactly what I want you to say," said Lily. Pausing a moment, she added, "I, Harry James Potter."

"I, Harry James Potter," said the young wizard with Ginny and Hermione moving to cling tightly to him.

"Heir to the most," Lily continued.

"Air to the most," followed Harry.

"Ancient," said Lily.

"Harry, say it like this, ain chent," said Barry slowly, seeing his foster son struggling to pronounce the word.

"Ain chent," repeated Harry slowly.

"And most," added Lily.

"And most," said Harry.

"Noble," said Lily.

"No bull," said Harry.

"House of Potter," said Lily.

"House of Potter," repeated Harry.

"Do here by," said Lily.

"Do here by," Harry repeated.

"In voke," said Lily slowly.

"In voke," Harry slowly repeated.

"The will," said Lily.

"The will," Harry said.

"Of James," said Lily.

"Of James," said Harry.

"And Lily Potter," said Lily.

"And Lily Potter," Harry said.

"So mote," said Lily.

"So mote," said Harry.

"It be," said Lily.

"It be," said Harry.

"And now we are done my darling and no one can take you away," said Lily.

"And now we are done my darling and no one can take you away," repeated Harry, causing several adults to laugh and Harry to have a confused look on his face.

"Harry, dear, what I meant was that we were finished and you could stop saying what I told you to say," said Lily.

"Oh," said the blushing Harry, as his hair began rapidly changing colors.

"Now, Ted and Andromeda, you may call for the Aurors," said Lily.

"What is an Auror?" asked Jean.

"An Auror is the magical world's equivalent of a police detective," explained Barry, as they heard a knock on the Tonks back door.

"Why, hello, Professor Dumbledore," said Ted Tonks, opening his back door. "What brings you to our humble home?"

"It has come to my attention that young Harry Potter is visiting your home, and I have come by to check on his well-being," answered the tall eccentrically dressed elderly wizard.

"Harry's in the sitting room with our other guests," said Ted, leading Dumbledore into his home.

"Ah, Albus, it's good that you are here, because you can be a witness to this arrest and arrange for a possibly innocent man to finally get a trial," said Amelia Bones, having arrived with a contingent of her finest Aurors. "You now see before you, Peter Pettigrew, a man we all thought had been murdered, and once we take him to the Ministry we're going to thoroughly question him about the night of October 31, 1981."

"While you're at it, Amelia, you can question Dumbledore as to why he stole my daughter from James, Harry, and I not long after she was born," said Lily.

"Lily, is that really you?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, it's me, Dumbledore, now cut to the chase and tell us why you stole my daughter from us, and why you let the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black be sent to Azkaban without a trial," snapped Lily. "Or did you conveniently forget that is the right of all Lords of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses?"

"Lily, please believe me, that I did not steal your daughter from you and your family," answered Dumbledore. "Additionally, I was under the impression that Sirius was your secret keeper, and that he'd been cast from the House of Black by his own parents."

"Sirius's grandfather, who was Lord Black at the time, was still alive when we were murdered, and he refused his daughter-in-law's request to have Sirius officially cast from the House of Black," replied Lily. "Additionally, I do not believe for a second that it wasn't you who stole my daughter from us, and I will not rest until I've uncovered the truth. That aside for now, you will use your position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot to get Sirius the trial he is due, as is his right."

"Yes, Lily, dear, I will do all that is within my power to ensure Sirius Black is given his day in court," said Dumbledore, "Now, as to the reason why I am here. I am here to check on wards I set up around your sister's home to keep Harry safe from those who would seek to do him harm. I am happy to say the wards in this neighborhood, especially around your sister's home and the home on the other side of her home are stronger now than when I first set them. That being said, I would like to ask just why you are all in the Tonks family's home and why the Weasley family is here, as well."

"As Arthur is my second cousin, and he and Molly have magical children close to young Harry's and Hermione's ages, I asked he and Molly to floo here with their family, because Harry's and Hermione's families wanted their children the chance to interact with magical children closer to their own ages," answered Andromeda.

"Ah, yes," remarked Dumbledore with his eyes twinkling. "The Weasley children would make most excellent playmates for Harry, Hermione, and your own lovely young daughter, too, and I most whole heartedly approve of such an endeavor. I have long been a proponent of play as being essential for growing magical children and such interactions should be encouraged."

"If we could get enough magical children to make such an endeavor worthwhile, wouldn't it be more beneficial to perhaps start a magical primary school similar to what the Muggles have for their children under age eleven?" asked Barry.

"An excellent suggestion, however, I am afraid I do not know your name, sir," commented Dumbledore.

"My name is Barry Wilkinson, sir, I am a first generation squib, and Molly is my second cousin," answered Barry. "Additionally, you may have heard of my parents, Dwight Wilkinson, and Marybeth Prewitt, as they both graduated from Hogwarts."

"Ah, yes, I remember them well," replied Dumbledore. "As for your suggestion for starting a magical primary school, I find your suggestion has merit, and although I do not have the time to assist you in such an endeavor, you have my approval for such a school. As I must now go to the Ministry of Magic to assure a trial for a quite possibly innocent man, I bid you farewell with my wish that you find success in your new school. In passing, Lily, I ask you to give me the chance to assist you in discovering who it was that stole your daughter from you and your family, and in doing so clear my name of this accusation."

"Is he daft?" exclaimed Glenda after seeing Dumbledore leave. "He actually believes Barry and I are those horrid Dursley's."

"Albus Dumbledore is at heart, a very good and noble man, but he does have an infuriating belief that he's rarely wrong in his assumptions," said Amelia. "Now, I don't mean to pry, but would you be willing to accept more children close to young Harry's age in your school? I have been wishing for such a school for my niece, Susan, and my best friend Adelicia's daughter, Hannah. They both just turned four in past few months, and the time has come to start planning their educations."

"That's what Glenda and I were talking about after Harry and Hermione first met Dora earlier this morning," said Jean.

"If you need a teacher, I would be more than happy to volunteer," said Lily.

"As I don't have a job outside the home I'd be happy to help out, as well," said Glenda.

"For much the same reason, I'd be more than willing to help out as well," commented Molly. "That, and at the moment, because my lot makes up more than half of our students is why I'd like to volunteer."

_"__The next questions I have are, where will we have our school, what time of the day and week will it be in session, and what will we teach our students?" asked Lionel._

_"__For what is taught, may I suggest the Home Education curriculum Andie and I use to teach Dora coupled with some magic related subjects like basic potions, Herbology, and meditation," said Ted Tonks. "As for a place to hold our school, we have a rather large basement that could be utilized as a school setting, and as we already Home Educate Dora, I see no reason why we cannot have older and younger students learning at the same time."_

_"__Was the curriculum you use developed by Muggles?" asked Arthur._

_"__Yes, Arthur, the curriculum we use was developed by Muggles, why do you ask?" replied Andromeda._

_"__We use a Home Education program developed by the Ministry of Magic for our children, but if you don't mind we would like for our children to learn from the Muggle way of learning, as well," Arthur said._

_"__I believe that could be arranged," said Ted. "So, when would you like to start our school?"_

_"__How about this coming September 3 as a start date for our school," Molly said. "Our Bill starts Hogwarts on September 1, and September 3 is the following Monday. Additionally, how long will our school day last? I usually spend about six hours a day teaching our children numeracy, reading, penmanship using a quill, and English from the program we use. Plus, when the weather is such that they can be outside, I teach them basic Herbology."_

"What about physical fitness, sciences, foreign languages, and the arts like music and art?" asked Jean.

"I'm afraid we in the magical world do not study things like that, but we I believe we should," replied Andromeda.

"Perhaps we could use a combination of both the Muggle and Magical curriculums to ensure our children have a well rounded education, so that when they go to Hogwarts they'll be more than ready," said Lily.

"As it appears, that at least at the beginning Lily, Glenda, Molly, and Andromeda are to be our teachers, why don't they get together and plan a curriculum for our school," said Barry. "That way, when September 3 rolls around we'll be ready to go."

"That sounds good to me, and if there are no objections, we'll let the ladies get down to business," said Lionel.


	5. Chapter 5

"Rufus, Kingsley, you're with me," said Amelia, to Rufus Scrimgeour and Kingsley Shacklebolt, returning to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement after flooing from the Tonks home. Then facing Gawain Robards and John Dawlish, she ordered, "Gawain and John, I want you two to stand guard while we interrogate Pettigrew, and I don't want anyone except for Minister Bagnold and Albus Dumbledore permitted entry."

"Yes, Madam Bones," replied Robards and Dawlish.

"Amelia, Albus tells me you have discovered that Peter Pettigrew is alive, that Sirius Black is the Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, and that Lord Black is entitled to a trial," said Minister for Magic Millicent Bagnold, walking up with Dumbledore after exiting the lift on that floor. "May we join you during your interrogation?"

"Yes, you may, but I don't want anyone else in the interrogation cell and have instructed Gawain and John to keep all others out," said Amelia. .

"Please, state your name," said Amelia, after they had revived Pettigrew and forcefully placed three drops of Veritaserum on his tongue.

"Peter Pettigrew," replied the cowering wizard.

"Peter, were you the secret keeper for James, Lily, and Harry Potter, and did you lead Voldemort to the Potter's home on the night of October 31, 1980?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes," replied Pettigrew.

"When Sirius Black confronted you two days later, who blew up the street and killed a dozen innocent Muggle bystanders?" asked Amelia.

"I did," answered Pettigrew.

"How did you escape after blowing up the street?" asked Bagnold.

"I transfigured into my Animagus rat form and went into the sewers beneath the street," said Pettigrew.

"Are you a Death Eater?" asked Amelia.

"Yes," replied Pettigrew.

"Who else did you betray to Voldemort?" asked Dumbledore.

"The Prewetts, the McKinnon's, Fenwick, Dearborn, the Longbottom's and the Bones's," answered Pettigrew.

"I believe we've heard enough to warrant a trial for Sirius Black," said Bagnold. "Amelia, dispatch three Aurors you trust to retrieve Black from Azkaban, and I don't want Black roughed up or harmed in any way. Additionally, we have more than enough evidence to place Pettigrew on trial, and I believe it would serve us better to try them the same day we try Sirius Black. If it can be proven before the Wizengamot that Sirius is innocent and that Pettigrew was the actual culprit in these crimes, then we may stand a better chance of convicting Pettigrew. Additionally, let us attempt to try both before Malfoy has a chance to bribe and bully against us. My opponents may well attempt to use Lord Black's lack of trial as a way to oust me from my position as Minister for Magic; however, the law is the law. Additionally, I am now of the opinion that an innocent man has been sentenced to a fate he most certainly did not deserve, and even though it may cost me my job, we must see too it that justice prevails."

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"This session of the Wizengamot shall now come to order," said Dumbledore several days later. "Before we commence with our normal activities, are there any new items we need to evaluate."

"Chief Warlock, it has come to my attention that Sirius Black never received a trial, as is his right, as the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, and, at this time, I would like to rectify that," said Amelia, rising from her seat and causing much grumbling to be heard amongst the members of the Wizengamot.

"Do you have Lord Black ready to stand trial?" asked Dumbledore, ignoring the protests coming from a larger number of witches and wizards in attendance.

"Yes, Chief Warlock, I do," replied Amelia.

"Then, as you are the Chief Justice of this body, I turn my seat over to you," replied Dumbledore.

"Now, see here, Amelia, what are you trying to pull off?" sputtered Cornelius Fudge, rising to his feet. "Black was already convicted in the very room, and you know it."

"Then, why did I not find any record of this case other than Lord Black's arrest and subsequent confinement in Azkaban?" asked Amelia.

"Amelia, we all know Black is guilty, why do you insist on wasting our time?" asked Fudge.

"Sirius Black is Lord Black, and it is his right to be given a trial of his peers," replied Amelia.

"Hem, hem, Black is not Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, they ousted him from their House," said Delores Umbridge.

"Sirius Black's grandfather was the prior Lord Black and he forbade his son and daughter-in-law from casting Sirius from his house, and as Sirius's parents both preceded his grandfather in death, then upon his grandfather's death Sirius became the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black," replied Amelia. "Even though Sirius never proclaimed himself as Lord Black, as scion of his house, he then became Lord Black upon his grandfather's death, and thus he is entitled to a trial by his peers. Now, Aurors please bring Lord Black forward and confine him to one of the trial chairs."

"I move this trial to be unnecessary," cried Fudge.

"Motion denied," stated Amelia forcefully. "The laws which guarantee the right of trial for all Lords of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses supersede those of the Wizengamot and cannot be changed or ignored. Now, Aurors Shacklebolt and Scrimgeour, please administer three drops of Veritaserum to the accused."

"Now, the accused, for the record, state your full name," said Amelia after the Aurors had dosed Sirius Black Veritaserum.

"Sirius Orion Black," replied Sirius.

"Were you the Potter's secret keeper?" asked Amelia.

"No, I was not," answered Sirius.

"Are you or have you ever been a Death Eater?" asked Amelia.

"No," replied Sirius, raising his left arm to show his tattoo free forearm.

"Did you betray the Potter's to the dark lord?" asked Amelia.

"No, I would have died before I would have betrayed my best friends," answered Sirius.

"Were you named godfather for Harry James Potter?" asked Amelia.

"Yes, and I took the Unbreakable Vow when James and Lily named me Harry's godfather, and I would have died had I betrayed Harry," answered Sirius.

"Who was the Potter's secret keeper, and who betrayed them to the dark lord?" asked Amelia.

"Peter Pettigrew," answered Sirius.

"Did you murder Peter Pettigrew?" asked Amelia.

"No, but I wanted to," answered Sirius.

"Did you blow up the Muggle street and kill a dozen innocent Muggle bystanders," asked Amelia.

"No," answered Sirius.

"Aurors, please bring in the next witness, confine him in another witness chair, and administer Veritaserum to him," said Amelia. After Pettigrew was confined and dosed with Veritaserum, she added, "For the record, state your full name."

"Peter Patrick Pettigrew," answered Pettigrew.

"Were you the Potter's secret keeper and did you betray them to the dark lord?" asked Amelia.

"Yes," answered Pettigrew.

"Did you blow up the Muggle street and kill a dozen innocent Muggle bystanders?" asked Amelia.

"Yes," replied Pettigrew.

"Were you or have you ever been a Death Eater," asked Amelia.

"Yes," answered Pettigrew.

"Have you ever betrayed anyone else to the dark lord?" asked Amelia.

"Yes," answered Pettigrew.

"Who else did you betray?" asked Amelia.

"The Prewett's, the McKinnon's, Fenwick, Dearborn, the Longbottom's and the Bones's," answered Pettigrew.

"Having heard the evidence presented under the influence of Veritaserum, I move we vote as to the innocence or guilt of both Peter Pettigrew and Lord Black," said Madam Augusta Longbottom.

"I second the motion," said Madam Griselda Marchbanks.

"Let us begin with Sirius Black," said Amelia. "All those in favor of conviction raise and light your wands."

"All those in favor of acquittal raise and light your wands," added Amelia after they had counted nineteen votes for conviction. After they had counted twenty-eight votes for acquittal, she added, "Sirius Black you have been acquitted of all charges against you. You are now a free man."

"Madam Bones, in light of Lord Black's acquittal and the fact he did not commit the crimes for which he was imprisoned, I move we compensate him at the rate of ten galleons per day for each day he spent in Azkaban, said Tiberius Ogden.

"In addition to the compensation Mr. Ogden proposed, I move Lord Black receive his full salary for his job as a hit wizard for the duration of his confinement," said Madam Marchbanks.

"Madam Bones, I second both motions," said Madam Longbottom.

"Let us now vote on these motions for compensation; all those in favor please raise and light your wands; all those opposed," said Amelia. Counting the votes she continued, "The motion passed twenty-eight in favor; nineteen opposed. Madam Marchbanks, as treasurer of this august body, please see to it that Lord Black receives his compensation. Now, let us now vote on the conviction of Peter Pettigrew. All those in favor of conviction raise and light your wands. All those opposed do likewise. Peter Pettigrew you now stand convicted on all charges by a vote of twenty-eight to nineteen. Now, as to you punishment, the floor is now open for debate and vote."

"I move we toss the ingrate through the Veil of Death," said a wizard.

"I second the motion," added another wizard.

"All those in favor of execution please raise and light your wands, all those opposed do likewise," said Amelia. Counting the votes, she added, "The motion fails forty-one opposed, six in favor."

"Madam Bones, I move Pettigrew be sentenced to a lifetime in Lord Black's old cell in Azkaban," said Madam Longbottom.

"I second the motion," added Ogden.

"Those in favor of the motion raise and light your wands, those opposed," said Amelia. "The motion passes twenty-eight to nineteen. Peter Patrick Pettigrew, you and now sentenced to life imprisonment in Sirius Black's old cell in Azkaban."

"What are you and Dumbledore trying to pull here, Bones?" asked Fudge. "I move the two trials heard today as being unnecessary and reverse the conviction of Peter Pettigrew and the acquittal of Sirius Black."

"The motion to reverse the trials of Lord Black and Peter Pettigrew is denied," said Amelia. "As you well know, Cornelius, once someone has been acquitted by this court they cannot by law be tried or held accountable for the same offense. As for your motion of the two trials today being unnecessary, the motion fails. As these trials are now completed, Albus you may reclaim your chair."

"Thank-you, Madam Bones," said Dumbledore. "Before we move onto our normal routine, is there any more new business for us to consider."

"In light of the fact a Lord of one of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses did not receive his justice when he should have; I move for a no confidence vote against Minister Bagnold for this grievance lack of vision," said Umbridge.

"I second the motion," said Fudge in a somewhat giddy tone of voice.

"Now, see here, Umbridge and Fudge, what are you two trying to pull off?" said Ogden. "Not more than ten to thirty minutes ago, you tried to move that Lord Black's trial was frivolous and unnecessary, and now you move for a no confidence vote against Minister Bagnold for not seeing to the same thing almost three years ago. Tell us, what is your real motivation for wasting our time and who is paying you off?"

"I quite agree with your sentiment, Tiberius," said Madam Longbottom. "I see this motion for a no confidence vote as a means to seize control of this body and push through the agenda people like Malfoy is paying them off for."

"Hem, hem, I'd watch my tongue if I were you, Madam Longbottom," said Umbridge.

"Madam Umbridge, I'll take that statement as a threat, move your motion be denied, and move that you be censured for threatening the regent of an Ancient and Noble House," replied Madam Longbottom.

"I second the move that Madam Umbridge's motion be denied and that Madam Umbridge be censured for threatening the regent of an Ancient and Noble House," said Ogden.

"As Madam Longbottom's first motion is directly opposed to Madam Umbridge's motion, we will now vote on the no confidence motion," said Dumbledore. After they had tallied the votes, he added, "The motion for a vote of no confidence again Minister Bagnold has been defeated by a vote of twenty-eight opposed and nineteen in favor. Now, we shall vote on Madam Longbottom's motion to censure Madam Umbridge for making a threat against the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom…"

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"Albus and Amelia, I'm starting to get most weary from all the petty posturing and vacillating being done by the likes of Umbridge and Fudge," said Minister Bagnold in her office after the Wizengamot session had concluded. "Thankfully, in light of his own son's miss deeds, I don't have the likes of Barty Crouch to deal with as much anymore. Additionally, now that he is a free man, do you have any insight to what Lord Black will now do?"

"He's already expressed to me that he has no desire to return to his job a hit wizard, which is a shame, because he was one of the best hit wizards we ever had," said Amelia.

"I overheard Augusta talking to him about taking up the mantle of Lord Black and claiming his family seat on the Wizengamot, however at the moment he is most reluctant to do so," said Dumbledore.

"If you can, Albus please encourage him to claim his Lordship and Wizengamot seat," said Minister Bagnold. "He should name an heir as well, for as I understand it, should he not and something happens to him, Lucius Malfoy's son becomes the scion of the House of Black, which would essentially give Malfoy more influence than he already has."

"I'll see what I can do, Millicent," said Dumbledore. "The only thing I for certain about Sirius Black is his desire to be reunited with his godson, of which, I'm going to arrange for later this week after Sirius has had a chance to procure a new wand, some new clothing, and has a chance to get himself a thorough medical exam. He is somewhat hesitant about going to St. Mungos, however I did convince him to visit Poppy Pomfrey in the Hogwarts hospital wing for an exam, which unless she finds something amiss should be more than adequate."


End file.
